In discussing this interesting faith, I shall first treat of its history and then of the sacred books on which it professes to be based.  In the light of this information it will be easier to understand the doctrines of Lamaism and I shall finally say something about its different sects, particularly as there is reason to think that the strength of the Established Church, of which the Grand Lama is head, has been exaggerated.

CHAPTER L

TIBET (continued)

HISTORY

It is generally stated that Buddhism was first preached in Tibet at the instance of King Srong-tsan-gam-po[910] who came to the throne in 629 A.D.  Some legendary notices of its earlier appearance[911] will bear the natural interpretation that the Tibetans (like the Chinese) had heard something about it from either India or Khotan before they invited instructors to visit them.[912]

At this time Tibet played some part in the politics of China and northern India.  The Emperor Harsha and the T’ang Emperor T’ai Tsung exchanged embassies but a second embassy sent from China arrived after Harsha’s death and a usurper who had seized the throne refused to receive it.  The Chinese with the assistance of the kings of Tibet and Nepal dethroned him and carried him off captive.  There is therefore nothing improbable in the story that Srong-tsan-gam-po had two wives, who were princesses of Nepal and China respectively.  He was an active ruler, warlike but progressive, and was persuaded by these two ladies that Buddhism was a necessary part of civilization.  According to tradition he sent to India a messenger called Thonmi Sanbhota, who studied there for several years, adapted a form of Indian writing to the use of his native language and translated the Karanda Vyuha.  Recent investigators however have advanced the theory that the Tibetan letters are derived from the alphabet of Indian origin used in Khotan and that Sanbhota made its acquaintance in Kashmir.[913] Though the king and his two wives are now regarded as the first patrons of Lamaism and worshipped as incarnations of Avalokita and Tara, it does not appear that his direct religious activity was great or that he built monasteries.  But his reign established the foundations of civilization without which Buddhism could hardly have flourished, he to some extent unified Central Tibet, he chose the site of Lhasa as the capital and introduced the rudiments of literature and art.  But after his death in 650 we hear little more of Buddhism for some decades.

About 705 King Khri-gtsug-lde-btsan is said to have built monasteries, caused translations to be made, and summoned monks from Khotan.  His efforts bore little fruit, for no Tibetans were willing to take the vows, but the edict of 783 preserved in Lhasa mentions his zeal for religion, and he prepared the way for Khri-sron-lde-btsan in whose reign Padma-Sambhava, the real founder of Lamaism, arrived in Tibet.[914]